WORK MEASUREMENT

Work Measurement

 A technique used to determine the best

estimate of the time required to perform a task
 Regardless of the methodology used, the
objective of all work measurement studies is
the development of standard time
 Standard time is the time that a person suited
to the job and fully trained in the specified
method will need to perform the job if he or
she works at a normal or standard tempo
 Time is Important

 Most workers are paid for their time on the job

 The labor content (cost of labor time) is often a
major factor in the total cost of a product or
service
 For any organization, it is important to know
how much time will be required to accomplish
a given amount of work
Functions of Time Standards
 They define a “fair day’s work”
 They provide a means to convert workload into staffing
and equipment needs
 They allow alternative methods to be compared
objectively
 They provide a basis for wage incentives and
evaluation of worker performance
 They provide time data for:
 Production planning and scheduling
 Cost estimating
 Material requirements planning
Prerequisites for Valid Time Standards

Factors that must be standardized before a

time standard can be set
 Average Worker
 A worker who is representative of the
persons who usually perform tasks
similar to the task being measured
 If the work is performed mostly by men,
then the average worker is male
 If the work is performed mostly by
women, then the average worker is
female
 Standard Performance
o A pace of working that can be maintained by an
average worker throughout an entire work shift
without harmful effects on the worker’s health or
physical well-being
 The work shift includes periodic rest breaks and
occasional interruptions are experienced by the
worker
 Benchmarks of standard performance:
 Walking at 3 miles/hr on level flat ground

 Dealing four hands of cards from a 52 card deck

in exactly 30 sec
 Standard Method
 Must include all of the details on how the task is
performed, including:
 Procedure - hand and body motions
 Tools
 Equipment
 Workplace layout
 Irregular work
 Working conditions
 Setup
How to obtain Standard Time

1. Time Study/Stopwatch Method

2. Work Sampling
3. Pre-determined Time Systems (PDTS)
4. Standard Data
Time Study/Stopwatch Technique
 The method basically involves taking a
number of observations for the operation
 Divide the operation into elements
 Rate the operator’s performance
 Set allowances
 Check whether a sufficient number of cycles
have been timed
 Compute the standard time
Time Study Equipment
Electronic Stopwatch
Time Study Equipment
Mechanical Stopwatch
 Sample Time Study Results
TIME STUDY OBSERVATION SHEET
ACTIVITY: CARD DEALING DATE:
OPERATION’S NAME: JUAN CARLO

ACTIVITY BEGINS: Getting of deck of cards Allowances

ACTIVITY ENDS: Distribution of cards to all players

ELEMENTS
Average
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Observed Rating Normal
Time Time
Pick up T 4 5 4 5 4 5 5 5 4 5
cards and
4.6 1.07 4.92
position R 4 35 65 94 125 155 186 217 247 277

T 8 8 7 9 8 8 8 8 8 8

Shuffle R 12 43 72 103 133 163 194 225 255 285 8.0 1.00 8.00

T 18 18 17 18 17 18 18 18 17 38
38
Deal
R 30 61 89 121 150 181 212 243 272 333 17.7 1.03 18.23
cards

T
31.15
R

STANDARD
TIME PER 31.15 x 1.15 = 35.82
OUTPUT
SAMPLE ACTIVITY

CARD DEALING
POSITION ELEMENT
SHUFFLING ELEMENT
DEAL THE CARDS ELEMENT
Computation of Number of Cycles

_
n = (zs/ax)2
where : s = standard deviation
z = value for a desired

confidence level
a = accuracy/error (expressed in percent)
_
X = mean
Computation of Number of Cycles

n = (zs/e)2
where : s = standard deviation
z = value for a desired
confidence level
e = accuracy/error (expressed in unit of time)
_
X = mean
Computation of Number of Cycles
Typical Value of (z) used in the computation:

Desired Confidence Percent z-value

90 1.65
95 1.96
95.5 2.00
98 2.33
99 2.58
 Sample Problem
A time study analyst wants to estimate the time
required to perform a certain job. A preliminary
study yielded a mean of 6.4 minutes and a
standard deviation of 2.1 minutes. The desired
confidence is 95 percent. How many
observations will be needed (including those
already taken) if the desired maximum error is :
a. ± 10 percent of the sample mean
b. One-half minute
SOLUTION:

_
a. n = (zs/ax)2
  n = (1.96 x 2.1/0.10 x 6.4)2
= 41.26 or 42 cycles
 
b. n = (zs/e)2
n = (1.96 x 2.1/0.50)2
= 67.76 or 68 cycles
 
 Rating
 It is the process during which the time study
analyst compares the performance (speed or
tempo) of the operator under observation with the
observer’s own concept of normal performance
 Rating is a matter of judgment on the part of the
time study analyst
 The objective is to determine the average level of
performance at which the operator was working
while the study is being made
 How to set Rating Factor?

1. Synthetic Rating
2. Speed Rating
3. Objective Rating
4. Westinghouse System
Westinghouse System of Rating
 Skill – the effect of skill is minimized by timing
only people who are skilled. Operators must be
fully trained in their work classification before
being time studied. Very skilled operator make
a job looks easy but an operator shows lack of
skill when dropping, fumbling or inconsistent
timing occurs
 Effort – is the operator’s speed and/or tempo
and is measured based on the normal operator
working at 100%.
Westinghouse System of Rating
 Consistency – greatest indication of skill. The operator
is consistent when he or she runs the elements of the
job in the same time, cycle after cycle. Consistency is
used to determine the number of cycles. A consistent
operator needs to run only a few parts before a cycle
time is known with accuracy. When inconsistency is
present the analyst must take many more cycles to be
acceptably accurate in the time study
 Conditions - can affect the performance of the operator
such as hot, cold, dusty, dirty or noisy environment
Westinghouse Rating Factor
 Formula for Normal Time

Normal Time = Observed Time x

Rating Factor (RF)
 Formula for Standard Time

Standard Time = Normal Time x

Allowance Factor
Allowance Factor (AF) = 1 + A

where: A = Allowance % (e.g. 3%, 5%)

 Allowances
 These are extra time added to the normal time such
that standard time becomes practically attainable
 No manager or supervisor expects employees to
work every minute of the hour
 This was the question asked by Frederick Taylor
over 100 years ago
 Would you expect the employee to work 30 minutes
per hour? How about 40 minutes? 50 minutes
Reasons for Lost Time at Work
Work-related interruptions Non-work-related interruptions

 Machine breakdowns  Personal needs (e.g.,

 Waiting for materials or restroom breaks)
parts  Talking to co-workers about
 Receiving instructions from matters unrelated to work
foreman  Lunch break
 Talking to co-workers  Smoke break
about work-related matters  Beverage break
 Rest breaks for fatigue  Personal telephone call
 Cleaning up at end of shift
 PFD Allowance
 Personal time
 Rest room breaks, phone calls, water fountain
stops, cigarette breaks (5% typical)
 Fatigue
 Rest allowance to overcome fatigue due to
work-related stresses and conditions (5% or
more)
 Delays
 Machine breakdowns, foreman instructions (5%
typical)
Other Types of Allowances
 Contingency Allowance
 Additional allowance due to a problem with the
task (e.g., raw material problem ) - not greater
than 5%
 Temporary basis – solve the underlying problem

 Policy allowance
 Machine allowance (set by company policy)

 Training allowance – for teaching new workers

 Learning allowance – learning a new task
 Sample Problem No.1

Compute the allowance factor if :

The allowance percent is 20 percent

 Sample Problem No.2

A time study of an assembly operation

yielded the following observed times, for
which the analyst gave a performance
rating of 1.10. Using an allowance of 15
percent of job time, determine the
appropriate standard time for this
operation.
 Sample Problem No.2

Observation Time Observation Time

(mins) (mins)
1 4.20 6 4.18
2 4.15 7 4.14
3 4.08 8 4.14
4 4.12 9 4.19
5 4.15
 Sample Problem No. 3

Given the following readings :

1 0.239 6 0.060
2 0.052 7 0.068
3 0.198 8 0.239
4 0.049 9 0.988
5 0.080 10 0.239
 Sample Problem No. 3

From the above data, determine the

representative selected time using :

a. arithmetical method
b. modal method
 Sample Problem No. 4
Jim and Bob recently conducted time study
on a janitorial task. From a sample of 75
observations, they computed an average
cycle time of 15 minutes with a standard
deviation of 2 minutes. Was their sample large
enough that one can be 99% confident that the
standard time is within 5% of the true value.
(z = 2.58)